How to Use Saw Palmetto to Treat Asthma

Saw palmetto seems to be useful in treating chest congestion, and it may help open the breathing passageways of asthmatics. People with asthma can use saw palmetto to aid in the management and prevention of asthma attacks, along with conventional treatments like inhalers.

Instructions

Understand How Saw Palmetto Aids Breathing

• 1

  Use saw palmetto to treat the general chest congestion and breathing difficulties triggered by asthma. It appears to have anti-inflammatory properties which can relieve congestion in your chest and in the bronchioles (where bronchitis begins).

• 2

  Treat asthma with saw palmetto by taking it every day. Doing so allows the beneficial effects to build up gradually. This can help manage asthma outbreaks and reduce the severity of attacks when they do occur.

• 3

  Be mindful of saw palmetto's other claimed effects. It is thought to interact with hormone receptors and smooth muscle. People use it for hair loss, breast enlargement or reduction, bronchitis, enlarged prostate and as an aphrodisiac.

Use Saw Palmetto Properly

• 4

  Talk to your doctor about the dosage that's right for you. Most experts recommend that you take no more than 320 mg. of saw palmetto per day, depending on your body weight.

• 5

  Avoid giving saw palmetto to children, particularly those aged 5 or under.

• 6

  Do not use saw palmetto to treat asthma if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant or if you have an underlying or preexisting medical condition that causes hormone alterations.

• 7

  Tell your doctor about any side effects that you experience for prolonged periods. Some people say that saw palmetto causes stomach discomfort, minor pain, diarrhea, constipation, nausea and vomiting. Others complain that it induces bad breath.

• 8

  See your doctor regularly, and have your vital signs checked out during every visit. If your doctor finds that you develop an irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure or other heart, liver or pancreatic irregularities, stop taking saw palmetto. Some experts think that saw palmetto may promote the development of these conditions in people who are already prone to them.